Father's Day Gift Guide

My Dad is quite easy to buy for - there's always a book, or a cd that he wants so when it comes to birthdays, Christmas or Fathers Day we just ask him what he wants and he tells us! My husband on the other hand is really tricky. Well unless it's whisky....that is my go-to present option for him ;)

Father's Day is a few weeks away and I've got my thinking cap on and put together a gift guide incase any of you are scratching your heads and wondering what on earth to buy the men in your life. (Like I usually am!)

1. Braun Electric Shaver - The perfect gift for Father's Day, Braun come highly recommended by my husband! He has been testing out the Braun Cooltec Shaver for the past 3 weeks and he has very kindly taken over the blogging reins for one night only to bring you this review!
2. Tech 21 Evo Range featuring Flexshock - For the dads who love their smart phones, this innovative phone case is 30% thinner than other cases yet offers advanced impact protection. Sounds like a good choice if your little person likes to use their dad's phone to go on the CBeebies app ;)
3. Guinness Sauce - a good substitute for brown sauce, you could serve this up with a cooked brekkie on Father's Day morning gaining a few extra brownie points!
4. SteelSeries Stratus XL Wireless Gaming Controller - perfect if your Dad or husband is into his gaming. This is a full sized, console-style gaming controller designed for the iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. Elliot's Daddy can't wait to try this out!
5. Accentuate - If you fancy having a giggle with your family on Father's Day then this might be the one for you. Featuring 30 different accents from around the globe...do you know your Geordie from your German?!
6. Happy Socks from Fat Buddha Store - Socks are always a great present to give Dad (they can never have enough!) and this bright and colourful selection will be sure to brighten up anyone's day. My husband normally wears boring black so these ones brightened up his sock drawer nicely!
7. Kumala Wine - Most Dads like a tipple and this Chenin Blanc would be perfect served up chilled on Father's Day..or any day really!
8. Tala Thali Hot Curry Measure - this genius piece of kit comes in a lovely decorative tin and is perfect for the Dad who loves to cook. Using the curry measure you can whip up an Indian banquet with the help of the recipe booklet provided
9. Dad & Me and Dear Dad journal - Dad & Me is an interactive journal with spaces to draw and fun activity prompts to help a child and their Dad to share memories and experiences. Dear Dad is a beautifully designed journal which gives Dad the chance to tell his story and fill it with memories, hopes and dreams. Both books would make lovely keepsakes and Elliot's Dad can't wait to start filling his story in!

So there you have my Father's Day gift guide, hopefully I have covered all bases and there is something for even the pickiest of Dad's. It has certainly given me lots of ideas for the men in my life!

Coming soon - Dom & Geri Father's Day Cards Review

*Disclaimer - some of the items were provided to me for the purpose of this gift guide

10 Things I Have Loved - May

The Cornish Mum, aka Stevie runs a great linky called Ten Things and I decided to join in by blogging about 10 things I have loved / enjoyed over the last month. May seems to have passed by in a blur and as always we have been mega busy - Elliot has a better social life than any adult I know!!

So in no particular order...

1) Finally getting an offer on our flat which we have accepted. We've yet to find anywhere to move into but I've started the packing and I've been checking rightmove religiously! We are in a 2 bed flat at the moment and we've just run out of room so I'm hoping our new home has a playroom for Elliot's toys. Of which he has many!! 

2) Butlins Just for Tots holiday. We had such a great time and it was fantastic to see Elliot enjoying himself so much. It was lovely to have some family time too as we don't see much of my husband in the week with him working so hard at the shops, Elliot just loves spending time with his Daddy!

3) Pitch Perfect 2 - I've been looking forward to this sequel for months now and it didn't disappoint! It was great to spend some time with my sisters and a real treat to go to the cinema - don't get the chance to go very often these days!

4) Family Catch Ups - My favourite cousin and her family came down to Dorset this weekend for a short break and it was lovely to see everyone. My sister was also visiting for the weekend so we had a brilliant lunch at my parents house with everyone and Elliot loved playing with his cousins. We spent ages playing hide and seek in the garden and I'm not sure who had more fun...the kids or my adult sisters!! 

5) Climbing the Tots 100 Chart - I still have a long way to go but my Tots 100 score for my blog is getting better and better and I have almost cracked the top 1000. Out of 8000 parent blogs! 

6) John Barrowman Live - I know JB isn't to everyone's tastes but he is very entertaining and I did enjoy his live show in Bournemouth! Even if we were the youngest there by about 50 years ;) 

7) Just Sing Choir - Joining this choir in 2013 was one of my best decisions ever and I really look forward to our Wednesday rehersals. At the moment we are rehersing for the Wimborne Folk Festival where we have 4 performances over a weekend in June and the songs sound incredible. Can't wait for our live shows! 

8) Introducing Elliot to classics from my childhood - One wet, dreary day I decided to watch the Labyrinth with Elliot. I wasn't sure if he'd like it but he was mesmerised and actually sat through the majority of the film..normally he gets a bit restless and buggers off to play with his toys. But he couldn't take his eyes off it and kept talking about the gob-o-lins! We've watched it countless times since and I love it, it's one of my faves from my childhood. I did also try him on the Goonies but think he's a bit young for that still. Never Ending Story next! 

9) Playdates - I hate that word but it is what it is! We've had lots of fun catch ups with our little group of friends and they are made so much nicer by having abit of sunshine. It means the kids can play outside and hopefully spend less time wrecking people's houses!! I've been having to carry more spare clothes for Elliot though, one sniff of a water table and he's there drenched to the bone. Oh well, as long as he's having fun!

10) The expansion of our business - My husband opened our first Laptop Fixers shop in 2009 and through a lot of hard work he has been able to open a 2nd larger store. Excitingly, last week he picked up the keys to our new 3rd shop! It's in a great little area called Broadstone and I hope we will be very busy there. 

What things have you enjoyed this month? Feel free to comment on my Facebook page

Linking up with....

Why I became a blogger...

I've been reading a few posts here and there about how people got into blogging and it made me think, this time last year I hadn't even thought about starting a blog!

I've always enjoyed writing and as a teenager I wrote a few things for my school magazine including a behind the scenes report of the Smash Hits Roadshow...I daren't read it back, I think I'd cringe too much!! It did get featured in our local newspaper though and my face got featured not once but twice! Sadly a career at Smash Hits never happened and after leaving school and college, my writing got put on the back burner.

Ahem....yes that is me with Peter Andre!!!

Elliot was born in 2012 and I read ALOT of blogs in my spare time...well I say spare time, it was mainly when I was doing the night feeds or trapped under a sleeping baby. I had no idea that so many parenting blogs existed and it was a great way of reading about other people's experiences.

A friend of mine, Jeni decided to start her own blog Poole Mamma in September 2013 and I enjoyed reading about her experiences as a mum and what her family were getting up. At that point the thought of writing my own blog hadn't even occurred to me and I was happily reading other people's. It wasn't until the following July when I had a particularly rantworthy trip to my local shop that I thought about setting up a blog to write about it. And so Entertaining Elliot was born!

To be honest I was totally clueless at the start but Jeni came round and helped me with the basics and slowly I began to get the hang of things. I never imagined how big the parent blogger world is and what's involved in getting your blog seen. And I had no idea how much of my time would be used for blogging!

Over the last 10 months I've gradually built up my readers and I think I've found my blogger identity. In the early days I did a bit of everything on the blog but now my main inspiration for blog posts is fun days out we have and the places we visit. We try and get out lots with Elliot so I usually have something to write about each week, and lots of photos to show the world!

I've also been lucky enough to work with some brilliant companies and had some fantastic opportunities like our Bluestone Wales break and our Mister Maker meet & greet!

I think it will be great for Elliot to look back on the blog when he's older and see all the lovely things we did and all the fun he had. He's only 2 now so I'm pretty sure he won't remember much of it but at least he can look at all the photos and see just how we entertained Elliot!

Why not follow my blog on Bloglovin? 

Bank Holiday Sunshine at Badbury Rings, Dorset

This weekend we decided to visit Badbury Rings which is part of the Kingston Lacy estate, owned by the National Trust. It was somewhere I hadn't been since I was a child and my husband had never visited so we were looking forward to going somewhere different and letting Elliot run off some steam!

Badbury Rings is an Iron Age hill fort and dates from around 800 BC. It is also believed that King Arthur fought his greatest battle here against the Saxons.  Nowadays, it is home to a rich variation of flora and fauna. And possibly a few ghosts if local legend is to believed!

We were fortunate to have a lovely sunny day and we started off with a picnic at the foot of the rings. It's hard to imagine the battles of years gone by because it is such a peaceful place! Soon Elliot was itching to run around so we made our way up the hills....

Elliot was in his element racing up and down the hills, he especially loved being at the top when we were down the bottom. He kept singing "I'm the king of the castle...you're a dirty rascal!" at the top of his voice! As you can from the photos, buttercups cover the ground at the bottom of the hills and it looked beautiful.

At the top of the rings there is a small wood and we walked through stopping to blow a few dandelions. Elliot hasn't quite got the hang of it yet and one of these days he's going to inhale rather than blow! We also spotted a giant caterpillar which Elliot was really impressed by :)

We rounded the day off with a trip to a local farm where they make their own ice cream. And who doesn't like ice-cream!! I didn't even know this place existed but my sister in law recommended we pop in and I'm so glad we did. The ice-cream was amazing and the gardens were all open for customers to explore. The only downside was the fact there were too many flavours to choose from so we will definitely be returning for another ice-cream soon!

I've linked up to the following for this post:

Flying the Flag for Eurovision!

Ever since I can remember, my family and I always get together and watch Eurovision. My sisters and I are all living in our own houses now but we always try and make it back to my parent's for the Grand Final of Eurovision...and woe betide anyone who has made other plans! It's tradition that we have party snacks (sod the diet!), my sister Sarah brings her notebook to score the songs and sometimes we even watch it with the subtitles on so we can sing along.....please tell me we aren't the only family to do this?!!

My sisters even managed to get tickets for the Eurovision Song Contest's Greatest Hits concert, a special one off show to celebrate 60 years of Eurovision. Can you believe it's been going that long?!

Here's my sister getting ready for the 60th Anniversary Concert

My favourite part of Eurovision is not the singing, or the interval act (well, except when it was Riverdance - that was amazing!) but the results. I love seeing who votes for who and whether it will be a repeat of every single year when certain countries vote for their neighbours, irrelevant of how good the song is! My Voucher Codes have done some research into this and did you know that Luxembourg is our biggest fan? They have given us 123 points out of 20 voting occasions - who'd have thought it! You can find more Eurovision facts in this Express  article ...bet you didn't know that last year's winner Conchita Wurst was the only bearded musician to claim the Eurovision crown in the last decade!

The UK haven't won Eurovision since 1997 and sadly I think this year might be another flop. Our entry isn't great and combined with how the voting goes, I can't see it even getting into the top 10! I'll leave you with my top tip to win from Sweden - they certainly know how to have a winning entry!

I have linked up with the following....

Summer Crafts with Baker Ross

We recently became part of the Baker Ross Blogger Network which means we get to try out lots of their lovely craft kits and supplies. Our craft box at home is getting bigger and bigger and it's great to have a different range of items to dip into on rainy days at home!

Baker Ross is a family run business and they are one of the leading suppliers of arts & craft materials to schools, playgroups and organisations in the UK. Did you know they offer over 4000 items on their website?!

 A new Summer range has recently been launched on their website and there are so many fun things on offer for budding Mister Makers! All the prices are really reasonable and there are lots of kits for under a fiver which is great news if you're on a budget.

We were sent a selection of summer themed crafts so here's how we got on....

Elliot decided that our first make of the day should be the Sandcastle photo Frame Magnet Kits. He needed a bit of help cutting the photos to size (he hasn't quite mastered scissors yet!) but did everything else himself - he couldn't wait to start sticking the foam shapes down! Once assembled, the sandcastles look really great and I love the bright summery colours. I also love that Elliot was able to get so involved, he was really proud of his finished masterpieces. Especially the Andy one! (Poor Daddy was a bit put out that his photo wasn't featured so we promised we'd make some more another day!)

Our next creation was a toss up between the dinosaur stampers or the foam mermaid stickers. Luckily Elliot went for the stickers (phew, I wasn't in the mood for getting the paints out!!). The stickers come in a variation of shapes (fish, starfish, seaweed, mermaids etc) and there's 120 in the packet, all for £2.99 which is great value. We raided our craft stash and found some coloured card and glue to make a beachy theme. As you can see, my crafting skills are a bit limited so it looks a bit naff but Elliot thought it was great ..."Look, a beach Mummy!"

Elliot loves stickers and this little activity kept him amused for ages, especially peeling the stickers off, that bit took a lot of concentration! He couldn't wait for his Dad to get home from work so he could show him his mermaids...but he wasn't able to tell me why there was a fish in the sun ;)

We had lots of fun testing out the Baker Ross products and we can't wait for the next rainy day so have an excuse to stay home and make stuff :)

Look out for a review of the Baker Ross Father's Day Range coming very soon! 

Linking up with...

Rainy Day Activities - Animal Masks from Albetta

Sometimes it's hard to think of things to do on rainy days. You've baked enough cakes to feed a whole village, you've jumped in every muddle puddle in a 5 mile radius and you've watched enough Peppa Pig to last you a lifetime. We like sitting down to watch a film when it's wet outside but there's only so many times you can watch The Lion King! 

We were sent some lovely animal masks from kids website Albetta to try out and I thought they'd make a perfect rainy day activity. I'd not heard of Albetta before but after a little look on their website I found some lovely items ranging from baby clothes to bunting!  

The animal masks pack contain 8 different masks including Charlie the Dog, Corentine the Hen, Leo the Pig, Daisy the Cow, Werewolf the Wolf, Gaspard the Fox, Max the Raven and Ernest the Bear, The masks are made by a French company called Mitik, hence some of the more unusual name choices! 

My first impressions were how colourful the packaging was and how different the masks look compared with other make-your-masks craft sets. The designs were really eye catching and the actual masks make the animal faces look 3D! 

Elliot couldn't wait to get stuck in and straight away chose a wolf and a fox to make. Firstly we painted our masks - this is where you can get creative! We normally shy away from messy painting at home but I was well prepared with a plastic sheet for the floor, plenty of wipes, an apron for Elliot and lots of paint! We decided to stick with plainer colours as it was our first attempt so the fox was orange and the wolf a dark blue...but we did add some glitter so he would sparkle :) 

We left the masks to dry for a few hours and then came the exciting bit...assembling them! The masks come on a large piece of card which is pre-cut so you just simply pop the shapes out, and so it doesn't even matter if little ones paint over the outline. The instructions were very easy to understand and we'd attached in the ears and nose in a matter of seconds. Lastly we attached a piece of elastic (also supplied in the packet) and this was a bit fiddly so definitely needs an adult to do if smaller children are making the masks. 

Then...ta da! A wolf and a fox! You could even add more detail once the first coat of paint is dry but as you can see, Elliot was very happy with how these ones turned out and I'm not sure he'd have the patience for us to add more paint ;)

The masks are recommended for 4 years and up but Elliot is only 2 and still enjoyed making them. Adult assistance is recommended for the fiddy bits but I'm sure kids of all ages would enjoy painting and creating a masterpiece! 

Thumbs up from Elliot and he can't wait for the next rainy day so he can make another mask!

Love this photo!!

For more information, please visit www.Albetta.co.uk 

Trendy Tot Thursday - 14th May 2015

I've not done a Trendy Tot Thursday link up for a while so I thought I'd do a triple whammy of outfits! We were away on holiday at Butlins last week so Elliot had some new t-shirts to wear, I think he looks very smart!

1. Denim Jacket - Gap Kids

One in a Minion T-shirt - Nutmeg @ Morrisons

Grey Jeans - Nutmeg @ Morrisons

Starry trainers - M&Co

2. Always Smiling Mr Happy t-shirt - Debenhams

3. Denim Jacket, as before

Mr Tumble T-shirt - purchased at the live show

Blue cargo shorts - Tesco

Minions trainers - Tesco

The denim jacket has featured several times on the blog but I do love it, it's perfect for this time of year when it's not quite cold enough for a coat but you just want something lightweight to put on. And it fits Elliot much better now than when my mum first bought it for him last Autumn!

Elliot's Mr Tumble t-shirt has attracted so many nice comments and it has been well worn since we bought it last month at the live show. We almost didn't buy it (it was a bit expensive!) but really glad we did, he loves wearing it and I think the colour really suits him. He had at least 3 children shout "Mr Tumble!" at him last week!

Orlando Holiday Planning & Mickey Mouse Giveaway!

To tie in with my Orlando themed holiday posts, I have a lovely Mickey Mouse plush for one lucky reader. Read on for more info and how to enter...

If you read my previous Orlando blog post you'll know that we are off to the Sunshine state later on in the year and I can't wait! Florida is such a great holiday destination and it's suitable for the whole family. We've been as a couple, with a group of friends and now this time with a little man in tow!

I love to plan and organise things and this kind of holiday does take a bit of planning if you are going to be visiting the parks. First things first you need to shop around to find the holiday you want and there are SO many different options. We've decided to book a private villa - it didn't actually work out any cheaper by not going through a holiday company but I liked the fact that I could choose the villa itself. Some of the big tour operators like Virgin will just allocate the villas on arrival...and that's not good for someone who likes to plan!! We know exactly where our villa is and have been emailing back and forth with the owner so we know exactly what to expect. It's going to be lovely having our own personal pool for the fortnight!

Aside from your flights and accommodation, one of the biggest costs is going to be park tickets and again, this takes a bit of planning. There are so many companies online who claim to have the cheapest tickets and it can be a bit bewildering when you first start looking!

My top tip is to sit down and work out exactly where you would like to visit, if you plan on park hopping, if you plan on returning to the same park multiple times and even if you plan on venturing out of Orlando! It's easy to think that Florida is just Disney and Universal Studios but there so many other attractions including Legoland, Busch Gardens, Seaworld, Kennedy Space Centre, a multitude of water parks and much more.

I looked into buying tickets separately for all attractions but the best value option for us was a combined ticket. I would like the flexibility of being able to return to the parks on a different day. As we are going with a toddler, we aren't able to plan our day too much because it depends how tired he is etc. But if we can return in the evenings after a nap then this is perfect!

A few friends recommended Florida Tix and they were the best value by far. We want to visit lots of the parks, including Busch Gardens in Tampa so we are going to be buying a Magic Combo ticket. This gets us 14 days unlimited admission to all the WDW parks plus both water parks, 14 days unlimited admission to Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure (Hogwarts here I come!) and 14 days unlimited admission to Seaworld, Busch Gardens and Aquatica. On top of this is includes Disney Fastpass+ (will blog about this another time), free transport to Busch Gardens and much much more. The Magic Combo ticket costs £499 per person (told you it was a bit of an expense!) but this is great value for money when you look at the breakdown and how much you'll be able to see. As a bonus, kids under 3 are free so we won't need to pay for Elliot!

Competition Time

Florida Tix have kindly given us a plush Mickey Mouse to give away to our readers and you won't want to miss out on this! Elliot is also the proud owner of one and he loves it, he's been taking it to bed with him and talking all about when we go to "Dinsey" (Disney!)

Entry via Rafflecopter, UK only please

Ends 1st June 2015


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Halos N Horns Review

Bathtime is one of Elliot's favourite times of the day and I think it's important to find products that are kind on baby/toddler skin. Recently I spotted the Halo N Horns brand in Asda and I was immediately attracted by the funky and bright packaging.

I got in touch with the lovely people at Halo N Horns and they sent me a big box of goodies to review - Elliot will never be dirty again! ;)

Halo N Horns Baby Bath

This product is part of their baby care range and like all their products, it features the cute Halos N Horns logo on really eye catching packaging. The thing I noticed was the smell - it smells AMAZING!! I can't put my finger on what it smells like but it's like a cross between something fruity and that fresh washing smell you get...mmm! 

The packaging claims that this product is Dermapaedic. I didn't have a clue what this meant, fortunately Halos N Horns have a detailed explanation on their website about what this means! In summary, to gain the all important Dermapaedic seal of approval, a product must be: 

- Mild and gentle

- kind to eyes

- suitable for sensitive skin

- formulted especially for kids

- not tested on animals

- environmentally sound 

We did notice that this baby bath isn't as bubbly as some other brands we've used but this is because it doesn't contain SLS - a foaming agent that can irritate the skin. I'm more than happy to take happier skin over a few bubbles anyday! 

Elliot's skin felt really smooth after his bath and it smelt lovely. He has got a small case of eczema on the back of his knees and some bubble baths do irritate it but actually after using this one, it wasn't as red as it normally is.

The baby bath doesn't contain any ingredients that dry out skin so it can also be used as an all over body wash. 

Halos N Horns Zingy Orange Hair & Body Wash

I absolutely love this smell of this one, they weren't lying when they said it was zingy! It can be used as shampoo, or body wash and can even be poured under running water. 

Like the other products in the range, it is hypoallergenic and kind to eyes. 

This is my favourite out of all the products as it's so multifunctional - we take a bottle when we go to Elliot's swimming class because it does hair and body and is light enough just to pop in the swimming bag. I also don't mind using it myself so saves taking a separate shower gel/shampoo for me! 

Halo N Horns Mango Melon Mayhem Shampoo & Conditioner

Much like the other products, this one smells gorgeous although I felt it was more apple than mango melon! It doesn't lather up lots but this is due to the ingredients not featuring SLS, the lathering agent found in most other shampoos that can irritate skin. You only need to use a small blob but I found it takes a bit of additional rinsing. Could be an issue if you wanted to get hair washing over very fast but not a problem for my little water baby who spends most of his time in the bath pouring water over his head! 

Elliot's hair smelt lovely after bathtime and was soft and shiny. Another reviewer suggested that using this shampoo & conditioner helps with cradle cap so I shall be interested in seeing if this is true. Elliot has had a bit of  stubborn cradle cap for a while now and no other shampoos seem to get rid of it. But we will continue using this one and keep our fingers crossed!

I really like this range and I'm sure we will purchasing again in the future. They all smell great, and are perfect for kids with sensitive skin.

For more info, please visit http://www.halosnhorns.co.uk/

Disclaimer: We received the toiletries for the purpose of this honest review. All views are my own

Share A Smile!

Today I am linking up with The Crumby Mummy's linky, Share a Smile and I wanted to share a pic from our week in Butlins that makes me happy! It's not the best quality picture but I don't think it matters :)

Elliot absolutely loved going on the fairground rides and the Carousel was a definite winner with him. He's never been tall enough to sit on the horse like this before so he was chuffed to bits and must have felt so grown up!

Every time him and my husband passed me on their way round he would shout out "I love you Mummy!" and he had this massive cheesy grin on his face!

It was one of many moments that made me smile and I'm glad I managed to capture it on camera :)

Just for Tots - Butlins Minehead

photo credit - Butlins

Butlins launched their "Just for Tots" breaks last year and they have proved very popular amongst families with small children. We went last year and enjoyed it so much that we decided to go again this year!

The Just for Tots breaks are designed for children under 5 and everything is geared up for them including live shows with their favourite characters, early dining times and repeated activities throughout the week. 

Accomodation

I'll start with this one as it's one of the more important things to look at when booking! We decided to book a private caravan (we used Lakeside Caravans) rather than one of the apartments and for us this worked out great. The caravan was next to a large lake and Elliot loved feeding the ducks. It was a 10 minute walk to the restaurants/Skyline Stage but this meant it was generally quieter where we were based. I can't really comment on the apartments as we didn't stay in them but they are looking a little tired and in need of some revamping. On the other hand, Butlins have recently built some posh new chalets next to a new lake and these looked lovely! Butlins cater for every budget so it's worth checking out what the different grades mean. 

Dining

Rather than paying for a set dining plan we decided to go self catering - this works for us as we like to leave the resort and explore and don't like to be restricted to where/what we eat. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from if you don't want to cook and we  had some great meals whilst we were there. 

The Diner was a new restaurant since our last visit and we couldn't wait to try it out - lots of choice for adults and kids and prices not too bad. Hubby and I both went for burgers and they were massive! The Diner also offers entertainment while you eat - every so often the music stops and some of the staff get up and sing. Not something you experience everyday! 

The Firehouse Grill was another good meal - if you like Nandos then you can't go wrong with this place. We went for a whole chicken plus sides and there was plenty for the 3 of us to share - this worked out cheaper than buying two mains, and a kids meal. 

There are plenty more options on the resort including Pizza Hut, Sun & Moon pub, Burger King, Finnegans Fish & Chips, Soho Coffee and there is also a well stocked Spar shop if you fancy rustling up something back in your caravan. We stopped off at the large Morrisons before checking in so we had a well stocked fridge! 

All the restaurants have high chairs and the kids are really looked after with crayons and colouring sheets, and balloons.

Live Shows

The Just for Tots breaks have a jam packed schedule of live shows and there was always something on through out the day. Some of the shows we watched at the Skyline stage were Mike the Knight, Fireman Sam, Barney's farmyard singalong and the Skyline gang. There were lots we didn't find time for including Thomas the Tank Engine.....we didn't mention that to Elliot though! The only downside to the Skyline Stage was that the seats filled up really fast and latecomers had to stand along the sides - ok if your child is going to sit on your shoulders but not very good for the short ones. 

We also caught a couple of shows in the Centre Stage venue which really took me back to my childhood when I used to go to Haven Holidays and dance around at the disco while my parents watched on from their table! It's a large venue and despite the crowds at each show, there seemed to be plenty of seats for everyone although the queues at the bar were quite long sometimes. We watched Aladdin Rocks on our first night which is a "spectacular rock panto" but it wasn't really for us so we didn't make it til the end! The following evening we watched the Mister Maker show which was a lot more enjoyable and really fun for Elliot - you can read all about that here. On our final night we decided to watch the Scooby Doo show and actually, this was Elliot's favourite bit of the whole holiday! He was mesmerised from start to finish and loved the fact there was a ghost train and a monster on stage! 

Characters 

As well as the live shows, there are also plenty of chances to meet the characters and there is a dedicated area where this happens. Butlins take a few photos for you but they are very good at letting you take your own pics - you're not obliged to pay for their photos but it's worth having a look because they are done in front of a green screen so the end result may look different to what you were expecting! Last year Elliot was a bit scared of the characters (they are quite large!) but this year he was more than happy to stand next to them and have his photo taken. He met Mike the Knight & Evie, Fireman Sam, Scooby Doo and we also bumped into Barney on our last morning. We wanted to meet Bob the Builder but unfortunately the only time slot was 2pm on the Monday and we hadn't even checked in then so missed that one! 

Active Activities

There are tons of things to do to keep the kids busy / wear them out and most things are included in the price. The Splash Waterworld was great fun and we couldn't wait to visit again after enjoying it last year! There is a large pool with a lazy river and a wave machine that goes off every so often. We love the wave machine but it can be a bit choppy and might be a scary for those not confident in the water. Luckily Elliot is a big fan of the water and loved splashing about in the waves! There are also several water slides (we didn't go on these) and a smaller shallow pool suitable for toddlers. The pool can get really busy which means busy changing rooms but we managed to pick a quiet time and had no issues finding a family changing room. The only negative was that the showers were absolutely freezing and meant we had to just dry off and shower back at the caravan. It would have been nice to wash the chlorine off there and then but there was no chance Elliot and I were standing under those icy showers! 

Little Tikes Town was another favourite spot and we visited several times whilst we were there. It's a small track with lots of little Cozy Coupe cars to take a spin in. Or push around if you're Elliot! 

There are several different playgrounds in the resort including a toddler soft play inside - we didn't actually get time to do any of these despite wanting to! 

Things to Spend your money on!

Of course you could do this break on a budget but there are lots of things to tempt you into reaching for your wallet including our favourite - the arcade.  We never normally visit arcades so it was a bit of a novelty for Elliot being able to put some money in the machines - he got to be quite a pro at the 2p machines and we managed to win lots of tickets, 2ps and toys! The grabber machines proved to be a constant tease, we really wanted to win Elliot a minion but it wasn't to be....despite my husband's best efforts! He had to make do with a safari meercat instead :)

Butlins has a well stocked toy shop featuring all the toys and characters you could possibly think of. The prices weren't actually too bad and they do have a pocket money section which Elliot liked, he came out of there the proud owner of two giant bugs which he named Mister Maker and Andy ;) 

Next to the Skyline Stage there is a sweet shop sure to tempt your little ones. We bought some pick & Mix but they were a bit on the pricy side! 

Fairground

There are two fairgrounds - an traditional outside funfair with bigger rides and a small inside one just for toddlers. The traditional funfair is open daily from 12-4 and features a carousel (my favourite!), dodgems, Chair-O-planes, a helter skelter and much more. A few of the rides had a height limit but there was still plenty for Elliot to go on. He loved the helter skelter! All the rides are included in the price so you can go on as many times as you like. 

The tots funfair is brilliant because all the rides are suitable for under 5's so Elliot could go on everything. There were lots to choose from including cup & saucers, giant slide, flying aeroplanes, train ride and much more. His favourite was the aeroplanes and seeing his little happy face was the highlight of the whole week for me! 

Top tips

- Although you won't be able to get into your accommodation until 3/4pm, you can arrive on site from Midday onwards. It's worth arriving early to avoid the queues which can be massive around 4pm - the queue on the road was at least half a mile long when we arrived! We avoided the queue and parked up in the big carpark and my husband went and checked in later on when it was quieter while Elliot and I enjoyed the entertainment...and the sweet shop! 

- If you are planning on attending one of the character photo shoots make sure you get there a little early. The Redcoats will close the queue after a certain time so you may end up disappointed if you miss the time slot

- You can end up spending a fortune on drinks, especially for the little ones! We bought some Morrison's flavoured water in little bottles and made sure I had plenty of these in Elliot's bag. He still felt like he was getting a treat drink but it was saving us a few quid too! 

- If your little one needs a nap and you're wondering where to go for a walk the head towards the caravans. There is a lovely peaceful walk around the lake where you will plenty of ducks, geese and maybe even bunnies!

- Don't feed the seagulls, they are greedy!! We saw a man almost lose his pasty when a gull swooped down and almost pecked it right out of his hands!

- The shows get really busy and I'd definitely recommend allowing plenty of time to get a table otherwise you may end up standing or sitting right near the back

-  There are plenty of baby changing facilities around the resort but I found that the ones by the Skyline Stage were always really busy and by the end of the day they weren't the cleanest. The disabled loo in Hotshots sports bar was always empty and much cleaner! 

- You will be given an Entertainment guide in your welcome pack so it's worth planning what you want to do. Lots of the shows are repeated which is very handy as we missed a couple due to a sleeping boy! 

Butlins Just for Tots breaks have so much to offer and there is so much that I haven't even mentioned such as the messy play, Usborne Book Corner, Tots Soccer and Scoop Ice-Cream Parlour. There is also Minehead town which is a short walk from Butlins which has some nice places to eat (The Stone Hotel is our fave), the West Somerset Railway for little train buffs and Dunster Castle just up the road which is great for exploring. 

We had a great time and I'm sure we will return next year. Elliot has some great memories and still hasn't stopped talking about Mister Maker and Scooby Doo! 

**I wasn't paid to write this review, we paid for the holiday ourselves and had a genuinely great time!**